Author name: Jan Whalen

Dear Amazing Woman, Grief visits everyone. It comes in many forms, as Rosanne will tell us. Most of the time, when we find ourselves suffering from grief, we try to stamp it out, fight it, or ignore it. Rosanne’s approach is refreshing and effective: A Word About Grief by Rosanne Carlson I’ve noticed lately there […]

Dear Beauty, Your life path is fascinating! Maybe that’s why one-on-one coffee meetings are so satisfying. You get a chance to tell the story of your life as only you can tell it, with details you’d never mention in a larger group. Meeting you is a chance to know who has affected your life—for better or

Hello Beautiful, Have you ever noticed how naturally many women lead and teach? Linda Kalaf is a great example of a woman who not only teaches, but also advocates for others, and has done so all her life. Linda, a Human Resources professional, created three mentoring programs and has led many groups. As she worked her

Dear Heart, I’ve always loved the words:“When you’re down, reach up. When you’re up, reach down.†This phrase reflects the fact that we need each other. We need each other because we all experience the mountain-top and dark-valley days of life—and it’s lonely at the top and the bottom (and in between too). We have many opportunities

Hello My Friend, We all know that life is a full contact sport, yet I have to admit, I’m allergic to anything extreme (my story, and I’m stickin’ to it). However, there are women who inspire us to step out of the comfort zone to physically test themselves. Today I am honored to share a

Hello Cool Woman, Rock Solid Confidence has nothing to do with what others think of us. True confidence comes from the trust we have in ourselves to decide what we want, and to step-up to touch our goals. The other day I was telling a friend about my challenging day (imagine the whining), not knowing

Dear Beautiful Woman, We adore stories. It’s in our nature. Often, we resonate with the stories others tell because they bring us closer to our own. When we sit down to record the events of our lives, we usually make some unexpected personal discovery. In fact, author Joan Didion says, “I don’t know what I think

Hello my friend, Confidence is something most people crave. Confidence is an illusive ‘character’ who resides in the mind, yet there are specific ways to show it and grow it. The other day while unpacking my books, I came across one I didn’t recognize. It was a book of poems by several college students, including

Hello Beautiful, We have a million reasons to love our friends: they understand us, they support us and they know just what to say when we’re having an off day. Through the years my friends have helped me understand that there’s always a new day and a new way to look at a bleak situation.